RF-Ukraine documents planned for signing in Moscow to add to settling situation in Ukraine

KIEV, December 14, 12:30 /ITAR-TASS/. The upcoming sixth meeting of the Russia-Ukraine interstate commission, which will be chaired by the two presidents, demonstrates not only Russia’s responsible attitude towards the cooperation with Ukraine, but also the importance of the bilateral relations for settling Ukraine’s domestic political situation, Russia’s Ambassador to Ukraine Mikhail Zurabov said in an interview with Itar-Tass on Saturday.

“Though Ukraine’s current economic situation has been discussed in various formats and not only at the initiative of Ukraine, it is not a key item on the domestic political agenda now,” he said. “Where officials of the government’s economic block speak about the hryvnias rate or about the fleeing capital, this is exactly the reason, which may not only aggravate the local protests if the situation is destabilised, but also may affect the timing fo the inner political compromise.”

The number of the documents, which the meeting participants will discuss - memorandums, intergovernmental agreements, roadmaps - is “rather high,” the ambassador said. “They cover a wide range - cooperation in high technologies, the energy sphere, improvement of the mutual trade and elimination of mutual customs barriers. We expect the countries will sign a non-typical agreement on modern infrastructure projects. Several documents will be devoted to the humanitarian sphere.”

Zurabov stressed there were agreements on several issues, “work on which still continues, but decisions have been delayed.” “They will make a true input in stabilisation of the inner political situation in Ukraine, which Russia considers a realistic demonstration of true neighbourhood.”

While speaking about the chances Ukraine may sign an association agreement with the European Union, the ambassador said “it is necessary to realise the reasons, why the Ukrainian side suspended preparations for signing the agreement with the EU on a free trade zone and on the association.” He believes, reiterating the regime of preparing for signing the agreements “could be full-fledged, if the work being done could result in minding comprehensively the concerns, which the Ukrainian side expressed regarding possible consequences from affected economic relations with the Customs Union.”

“Sure, we cannot rule out during the negotiations not all problems may be settled,” Zurabov added. “This is why Ukraine announced its claims for receiving economic support from the EU, which could compensate for expected losses incurred from changed structure of the trade turnover with the Customs Union’s countries.” The ambassador added Brussels, realising the existing problems, “does not hurry to get engaged in possible amounts of the assistance.